Lily’s Point of View“Si, I...I—” I stuttered, unsure of what to say. Things had gotten so complicated after Tom’s conversation with me. I couldn’t just break off the engagement, not after he’d bared his heart to me.“Are you second-guessing us, Lily?” Simon asked, his gaze piercing me with intensity. “No, no, that’s not it, Si,” I replied softly. “Then what is it?” he asked, his voice gentle but his eyes concerned. “If you're not doubting us, then what’s the problem?” He leaned in, desperate for an answer.“I spoke with Thomas yesterday, Si,” I admitted, unsure of how to go on. “He wants us to continue with the wedding.”“So what? Tell him you can’t,” he said, his tone more tense now as he picked up on my hesitation. “Lily, come on, you have to stop this damn wedding.”“How do I do that, Si? What do I say?”“Just tell him you can’t marry him because you’re in love with me. That’s all you need to say.”I shook my head, a lump forming in my throat. “Simon, that’s your brother. How do
Lily’s Point of ViewI sat on the couch, but my thoughts were miles away. I couldn’t shake off my conversation with Simon or the impossible choice he wanted me to make. And then there was Thomas—how devastated he’d be if I just ran off with his brother. Jessica would probably make it her life’s mission to ruin me, and Geoffrey? He’d never forgive me for shattering the family he’s so desperately trying to unite. When Geoffrey asked me to help change Thomas, I couldn’t even imagine how I’d do it. But after that night, there was a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could reach Thomas and, by doing so, help mend the strained relationship between the brothers, bringing the Westons closer like Geoffrey wanted.But that would mean giving up my own love, my happiness. Sacrificing everything for the sake of paying my father’s debt, preserving my mother’s precious social standing, and helping Geoffrey achieve his dream of a united family. The price was too high. One I wasn’t sure I could be
Simon’s Point of ViewAs soon as I saw the message from Lily, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I read it twice, to be sure I wasn't imagining things but it was from her. She wanted to meet me, away from the house. It wasn’t something I expected, especially after everything. My heart hammered in my chest as I made my way to the spot she picked. What did she want? Was she ready to confront what was between us, or was she just going to tell me goodbye, once and for all?I got to the park walking toward the small bench under an oak tree where Lily had told me to meet her. It was quiet, away from the house, away from everyone. No one would see us here. But my mind was racing, trying to figure out what choice she’d made. Then I saw her, standing by the bench, her back turned to me. “I got your message,” I said, stepping closer.She turned to face me, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. She looked…nervous, unsure. My heart sped up. I wanted to take her worries off her shoulders, but
Lily’s Point of ViewI was packing my clothes when Mom stormed into the room, furious. “What the hell was that? Why did you just disappear like that? Lily, what’s going on? Jessica’s furious with you!”I rolled my eyes, feeling a surge of frustration. Here we go again. “Mom, I’m sorry I left like that, but I had something important to take care of,” I said, turning back to my clothes, busying myself.She glanced at my open suitcase and narrowed her eyes. “Why are you packing?” she asked, sounding suspicious.I froze for a moment, realizing she had no idea about Simon or our plan to leave. “I’m not packing,” I said quickly, giving her a brief glance. “Just... organizing my stuff.”But she wasn’t convinced. “It looks like you’re packing, Lily.”A knot tightened in my stomach as I tried to stay calm. “No, Mom, I’m not.”She took my hand and made me sit on the bed beside her. “Lily, if something’s wrong, you’d tell me, right?”My heart clenched at her words. I felt guilty. “Of course, Mom
Lily’s Point of View Everyone was seated at the dining table, busy with their plates, eating Filet mignon with green beans and drinking glasses of Pinot noir. Suddenly, Geoffrey broke the silence. “Simon, I need you to travel to Canada to meet with a new investor.” I froze, my eyes widening as I glanced at Simon, who looked just as stunned. Canada? Investor? What will happen to our plans now? And why Simon? I quickly lowered my eyes, not wanting to draw attention—especially from Jessica, who had been watching my every move recently. I could feel her gaze trying to peel away any hidden meaning in our exchanged glances. Thomas raised his eyebrows, surprised. "What, Dad? I didn’t know about this." "Yes," Geoffrey continued. "We need to secure this investor. We’re expanding into a new location, and we need this investor to help solidify the deal. So far, our attempts have fallen short, but I’ve found someone willing to take the risk.” Thomas scoffed, irritated. “Dad, I’m the CEO. I
Simon’s Point of View We arrived in Vancouver, Canada, and hopped into a cab that took us to one of the Weston properties in the city. Lily had been unusually quiet for most of the drive. I couldn’t quite figure out what she was thinking. Was she nervous about the change in our plans, or was she having second thoughts? I figured she’d open up when she was ready. When the driver stopped in front of the house, Lily blinked, taking in the sight. “Wait, is this...?” I grinned at her surprise. “Yeah, it’s one of ours. The Westons have properties everywhere.” She stepped out of the car, staring at the big mansion sitting in a peaceful, upscale neighborhood. It wasn’t as huge as the main Weston house, but it had the same luxurious touch. “I didn’t know you had a house here,” she said, sounding amazed. “Why am I not surprised?” I chuckled. “We usually stay here when we have business in the area. We’ve got places like this in most major cities.” “Of course you do,” she muttered,
Simon’s Point of View I scrolled through my laptop, studying Boyce Wright—the investor we had traveled all this way to meet. I had prepared a proposal for him, reading all the company documents and his profile as if my future depended on it. In a way, it kind of did. My plan was set, get Dad to accept payment for the debt and dissolve the contract. But I had to stay in his good graces if I wanted to succeed. For a big part of my life, I had lived mostly by myself, trusting no one. But with Lily, I didn’t have to be alone anymore. I found a partner, someone I wanted to share my life with. I was so engrossed, my eyes glued to the screen, that I didn’t notice when she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “Good morning, my love,” her sweet voice rang in my ears. “Good morning,” I said, my lips forming a smile as her warm body pressed against mine. “What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes darting to my laptop screen. “Just doing my homework on our investor,” I explained. “Oh,
Simon’s Point of ViewWe arrived at the golf course to meet with Mr. Boyce Wright, Weston Global’s new prospective investor for the recent groundbreaking diamond mining project we’re undertaking in the Northwest Territories.“Hello, Mr. Wright,” I greeted warmly, shaking his hand. I tried to sound as confident as I looked, dressed in a crisp collared shirt tucked into tailored pants, with white socks and golf shoes. Lily wore a neat short-sleeve shirt paired with a matching skirt, looking effortlessly elegant.“Hello, Mr. Weston. You can call me Boyce,” he said, returning my handshake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Boyce,” I responded. “Likewise,” he said, then shifted his gaze to Lily.“This is Lily Stack. She’s my…” I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. “Woman,” I finally said, feeling a bit unsure as I watched Lily's expression.“Nice to meet you, Boyce,” she said, extending her hand to shake his.“The pleasure’s all mine, Miss Stack,” he replied, clearly taken